ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, OXFORD RESIDENCE ARRANGEMENTS 2020/2021

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ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, OXFORD

               RESIDENCE ARRANGEMENTS 2020/2021
                         UNDERGRADUATES
The following pages outline some guidelines and rules (though these are not
exhaustive) for undergraduate students using the facilities in College. Our aim is to
provide support during your stay in College accommodation and to ensure that you
have a wonderful experience during this period.

COLLEGE ACCOMMODATION
Smoking Policy: All rooms in College and all external areas are non-smoking,
except for the specifically designated outdoor smoking areas within the College
grounds, where suitable ashtray bins are provided. This ban includes all e-cigarettes
and other vapour devices. This rule is strictly enforced and any infringements
are considered to be a Decanal matter and will be referred to the Senior Dean.
Details of the smoking areas are available in the College Smoking Policy, which can
be found on the College website https://www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/about-
college/legal/college-policies/

ACOP: The College has adopted the Universities UK Code of Practice for the
Management of Student Housing, details of which can be found at
http://www.thesac.org.uk/ All undergraduates and graduates occupying College
rooms are required to sign a room licence agreement, which they will receive on
arrival. Students living in couples’ accommodation will be required to sign a tenancy
agreement. Any queries concerning accommodation should be directed in the first
instance to the Accommodation Office (accommodation.office@sjc.ox.ac.uk).

Single Student rooms: The College is proud to be able to provide single room
accommodation for all its undergraduates. All are single rooms for single occupancy
and cannot be shared. Rooms are allocated by the Accommodation Office to all
undergraduates in their first year. In subsequent years a ballot system is operated
by the JCR Committee.

The majority of rooms have access to shared bathrooms but a number of rooms are
en-suite. These are generally not available to Freshers (1st Year students) unless
they have a proven medical need for a private bathroom. In these cases, the student
must contact the College’s Disability Co-ordinator (Elaine Eastgate
elaine.eastgate@sjc.ox.ac.uk) well in advance of arrival. Please do not wait until you
arrive to tell us of a medical need, as by that time it will be too late to allocate an
appropriate room.

In general, rooms will be allocated to all first year students at random and without
consideration of gender. If you wish to make a request for a specific type of room,
please let us know well in advance of the start of Michaelmas Term. We will do our
best to offer a suitable alternative.
Couples’ Accommodation: There are a limited number of self-contained flats
available for those students who are living full-time with a partner (i.e. both parties

Last updated                           July 2020
must live in the flat as their only accommodation) and/or with children. Flats are
NOT available for friends to share and where there is more than one bedroom this
cannot be sub-let to, or otherwise used by, a third party. Flats will be allocated by the
Accommodation Office to students for their first year, on a first come first served
basis. For all subsequent years of study, a ballot system is operated by the MCR
Committee for graduate students. Students with children/dependants will not be
expected to enter the ballot system and will be guaranteed their accommodation for
the first three years of their study. Students in this situation should contact the
Accommodation Office direct (accommodation.office@sjc.ox.ac.uk) each year.
Undergraduate students who wish to live full-time with a partner should contact the
Accommodation Office separately by the beginning of Hilary Term each year but
should bear in mind that couples’ accommodation cannot be guaranteed.

Couples’ accommodation is offered on the understanding that a student remains a
full-time student of the College for the full current Academic Year. If, during the
tenancy year, the student’s personal circumstances change (eg. they are no longer
living full-time with a partner or have suspended their studies), they must inform the
Accommodation Office immediately. It may be possible to permit students to remain
in their flat during a period of suspension from study, or following completion of their
course if this is before the end of the tenancy, but they may be asked to pay the
premium rent for that period. Tenancy agreements can only be in the name of the St
John’s student, the partner cannot be included unless they are also our student.
This means that if a student no longer wishes to live with their partner, the partner
will not be able to remain in the property if the student moves out.

If a student or their partner is expecting a baby, the Accommodation Office must be
informed in plenty of time. If possible, the new family may be offered a 2 bedroom
flat (if one is available) but additionally, not all of our properties are considered to be
appropriate for infants/children and therefore the family may be required to move to a
more suitable location in due course. We also need to update records for health &
safety/emergency purposes.

Room rents and general facilities charge: The charges for accommodation for the
academic year 2020-21 will be:

       Grade A++ room                 £1151.17 per term              £19.51 per day
       Grade A+ room                  £1129.95 per term              £19.15 per day
       Grade A room                   £1113.57 per term              £18.87 per day
       Grade A- room                  £1103.26 per term              £18.70 per day
       Grade B room                   £1068.08 per term              £18.10 per day
       Grade B- room                  £1048.67 per term              £17.77 per day
       Grade C+ room                  £ 997.73 per term              £16.91 per day
       Grade C room                   £ 988.63 per term              £16.76 per day
       Grade C- room                  £ 978.92 per term              £16.59 per day
                    One-bedroom flats                              £627 per month
      Two-bedroom flats (except Observatory Street)                £773 per month
         Two-bedroom flats in Observatory Street                   £759 per month
           Three-bedroom flat in St John Street                    £918 per month
Students occupying rooms (but not flats) also pay a general facilities charge relating
to the general provision of services; at present this is £226 per term.
Start of term: Any student arriving before Thursday of 0th Week of Michaelmas
Term will be charged each day for their accommodation, at the corresponding rate

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for that room. This applies to both Freshers and returning students.

Occupancy rules - general: Undergraduate students are expected to occupy the
rooms allocated to them, during term time, for the whole Academic Year. Should
they decide not to take up residence, 4 weeks’ notice must be given before the start
of Michaelmas full term, otherwise the College may hold them liable for any financial
loss, up to a maximum of four weeks’ rent. Normally, rooms may only be
permanently vacated at the end of full term. If, during term, an occupant wishes to
vacate their accommodation, they must give two weeks’ notice in writing before the
date for moving and/or the end of full term. The only exceptions to this are when a
student has a home or medical emergency which requires them to leave their
accommodation at short notice, (or where a student suspends their studies, in which
case they will be expected to vacate their room immediately). Normally no rent
rebate will be given for the period of term remaining and the general facilities charge
will not be refunded.

Whatever accommodation they are in, if a student suspends their studies, or is
suspended, or completes their course of study, it is expected that they will vacate
their accommodation immediately.

End of term: Undergraduates are required to leave their rooms at the end of each
term. On departure, rooms must be completely cleared of ALL possessions – this
includes the contents of the room fridge, all cupboards/chests of drawers, under the
bed, on top of the wardrobe etc. Your individual kitchen cupboard should be cleared
of any perishable items and you should remove anything you have in any communal
kitchen drawers. Fridges and freezers (including communal ones in kitchens) MUST
be emptied EVERY vacation to allow them to be defrosted and cleaned, regardless
of whether students have vacation residence and are remaining in their normal
termly accommodation. At the end of Trinity Term, all students should remove
anything they have in kitchen cupboards, drawers and fridges/freezers. Anything left
behind will be disposed of.

Nothing should ever be left in corridors or on landings or in communal areas, nor left
in the room with a note asking the Scout not to dispose of it. ANY ITEMS LEFT
AFTER A STUDENT HAS DEPARTED WILL BE DISPOSED OF AND A
DISCRETIONARY MINIMUM CHARGE OF £50 WILL BE MADE TO THE
STUDENT. THIS MAY BE INCREASED WHERE COLLEGE IS CHARGED AN
ADDITIONAL FEE FOR DISPOSAL OF LARGE OR ELECTRICAL ITEMS.

When you vacate your room at the end of term, return your room key to the
Lodge and ensure that your key is signed in by a Porter, and that you receive
an appropriate key receipt. In any case where a key receipt/proof of return is
missing and you cannot produce your copy, you will be charged for that room.

Vacation Residence: If undergraduate students need to remain in residence
beyond the end of full term (i.e. after the end of 8th Week) or return early for the start
of the following term (i.e. before the Thursday of 0th Week), they MUST apply for
vacation residence – even if they need to stay because they have extended terms or
exams. Application forms can be found on the College website in 4th Week of each
term (don’t use an old one by mistake, always check the dates before downloading)

Last updated                            July 2020
and all undergraduates will receive an email from the College Office with a link and
outline of the procedure for applying. The deadline for applying is ALWAYS noon
on Thursday of 6th Week; forms must be returned to the Accommodation
Office. Late forms will not be accepted unless there are strong extenuating
circumstances. Forgetting to do it is not a good enough reason for a late form! If
residence is permitted, most students will be required to clear their current room
completely and move to a temporary room. College reserves the right to move
any student with vacation residence to a temporary room, including Finalists if
necessary.

Where the request to remain is for academic reasons only, it is also possible to
apply for a vacation grant to cover the cost of the room (vacation residence is
charged at the usual room rate for the room which is used), up to a maximum of 21
days per academic year. Vacation Grant Declaration forms are also available on the
website and will be emailed to all students by the College Office. Vacation Grant
Declaration forms must be completed and returned to the Finance Office ONLY at
the start of the following term AFTER the vacation residence is complete.

If a student is away for a very short period during the College close-down period at
Christmas or for the 4 days of the Easter Bank Holiday weekend, students MAY
request to leave their belongings in the room (at their own risk) but permission must
be obtained at least 2 weeks in advance from the Accommodation Office (via the
vacation residence form), and the room will still be charged for at the usual daily rate.

Vacation Storage: The College maintains storage areas in the basements of TW
Quad staircase 4, Garden Quad staircase 1, 30 Museum Road and Kendrew Quad
B35. This is for use only during vacations, it is not available for use during term and
any items left in storage (including empty boxes and suitcases) and not collected by
Week 2 of full term will be disposed of. Only in exceptional circumstances (and with
the prior agreement of the Domestic Stores Management team) is it possible for
students to use storage during term. Storage is only available to current members
of College for their own personal possessions. It is not for use by friends of
members. It cannot be used over the summer vacation by students who have
finished (including those who are going on to a graduate course of study), or by
students who have not yet arrived to take up their place at St John’s. It is not
available to students who are suspending their studies.

College is under no obligation to house items for students and any use of the storage
space is at the discretion of the Stores Department.

The College does not hold itself responsible for items placed in storage (or for
possessions left, inadvertently or not, in student rooms).

UK-based students should take as many of their belongings home as possible so
that there is sufficient storage for non-UK students. Items for storage must be in
strong, sealed containers (eg plastic boxes or solid suitcases) and each item must
be clearly labelled with the full name of the student (as registered with the College)
and their current room number. Loose items or items in unsecured or flimsy
containers (eg plastic bags) will not be accepted. Items are accepted on a first come
first served basis and when storage is full there is no possibility of storing items

Last updated                           July 2020
anywhere else in College.

Student storage is ONLY open during 0th and 1st Weeks and 8th & 9th Weeks of each
term, Monday – Friday. There is NO access to storage outside these periods except
by prior arrangement with the Domestic Stores Department
(stores.management@sjc.ox.ac.uk ) but please note that there is no access to
storage in the evenings, at weekends or Bank Holidays for any reason, as staff do
not work at these times. Lodge staff DO NOT have access to College storage.
Storage opening times: WEEKDAYS 0-1st Week and 8-9th Week (students must
arrive promptly, as staff are only available for a limited time in each location)

   •   Kendrew basement – 10am & 2pm
   •   Garden Quad 1 basement – 10:30am & 2:30pm
   •   Museum Road 30 basement – 11am & 3pm
   •   TW 4 basement – 11:30am & 15:30pm
Items not permitted (this list is not exhaustive):

   •   Furniture, eg chairs/mattresses/clothes storage hangers/clothes airers.
   •   Items of high value, eg TV’s/computers/musical instruments/small
       appliances.
   •   Large items, eg oars/mirrors/bicycles or anything that will not safely fit
       into the allocated suitcases or boxes.
PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE TO TAKE YOUR THINGS TO
STORAGE; if it is full, you will have to take them home with you.

There are several companies which offer a door-to-door service, both within the UK
and abroad, for the transportation of luggage. Students (especially UK based) who
do not have transport for their belongings or who cannot fit them into College storage
may wish to investigate this option. Although College is not able to recommend
them, and students who use them do so at their own risk and at their own expense,
here are some links:

https://www.mybaggage.com/student-shipping
https://www.luggagedeliverycompany.com/
https://www.sendmybag.com/

Landings/staircases: please note, belongings must never be stored or left at any
time on staircases or landings. Anything left in these areas is liable to be disposed of
without warning and IF NECESSARY A MINIMUM CHARGE OF £50 WILL BE
MADE TO THE STUDENT.

Cleaning of student rooms: All student rooms are cleaned daily by College
cleaning staff (known as Scouts), except during the College Christmas Close-down.
Students are expected to keep their rooms in a reasonable state of tidiness at all
times, and Scouts will expect to be able to carry out their duties in each room every
weekday morning (details of their duties are on the College website:
https://www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/current-students/accommodation/
Last updated                           July 2020
Students must allow their Scout access to their room at least twice during the
working week for the purpose of cleaning and maintenance of the facilities. If a
student puts their “Do Not Disturb” sign on their door for 3 consecutive days, the
Scout will enter the room on the third day, whether or not the sign is out. Students
are asked to co-operate with their Scout to help them to maintain the cleanliness of
College rooms. If a Scout finds a student room door unlocked and the student not in
the room, they will lock it for security reasons. They will also remove and dispose of
any wedges or other items found holding fire or room doors open.

In cases of emergency, or where a maintenance issue has been reported (either by
the student or by the Scout or another staff member), staff will enter a student room
without appointment and regardless of whether or not they are in the room at the
time.

Care of your room and its furnishings: Most student rooms are provided with a
notice board and we request that students use these for putting up their photos and
other personal decoration and not hang them on the walls. In rooms where there are
no picture rails, it may be possible to put up a few small picture hooks. Students
should send an email request to the Accommodation Office and each room will be
assessed by the Works Department before any hooks can be installed. Walls,
paintwork and woodwork must not be marked or damaged (blue/white tack, sellotape
and drawing pins should not be used). Carpet tiles must not be taken up/removed
and curtains must not be taken down. College furniture, beds and bedding must
not be removed from rooms or swapped with other rooms. Damage to furniture
or the fabric of the room should be reported to the Accommodation Office
immediately (it is in your interest to let us know of any damage, especially if it
happened before your occupancy of the room). The repair of any damage caused
may be charged to the individual. For routine maintenance (replacement of light
bulbs, minor repairs etc.) you can email or visit the Domestic Stores Department
(stores.management@sjc.ox.ac.uk).

Please note, candles are prohibited from all College rooms, regardless of
whether or not they are being used.

Furnishing of rooms: The College provides adequate furniture in its rooms. In
most cases this consists of a single bed and all bedding, storage for clothes and
books, a desk, desk chair and lamp, a small fridge and, space permitting, some
informal seating. In exceptional circumstances, these furnishings may be
supplemented by personal furniture, provided that there is sufficient space – no
College furniture can be displaced from the room as a result and it cannot be
swapped into another room to make way for your own furniture.

Permission must be obtained from the Accommodation Office in advance to keep
any personal items of furniture in your room; items should be registered on the form
at the end of this document.

Exercise equipment (eg fitness bikes, rowing machines) is not allowed to be kept, or
used, in student rooms.

Last updated                           July 2020
If not easily portable, it may be possible to leave these registered items in your
College room over the Christmas and Easter vacations only (i.e. NOT during the
summer vacation when all personal items must be removed and taken home).
College cannot take responsibility for accidental damage to items left in this way, and
items of high value will not be accepted. Any UNREGISTERED items found in
rooms during vacations will be removed and may be disposed of and the cost of
disposal charged to the student.

Any personal (soft) furnishings such as chairs, sofas etc. must have the original fire
safety label attached to them and must comply with current fire safety standards.
Photographic evidence of the intact fire safety labels will be required before
permission can be granted for such items to be kept in student rooms.

Beds: Students cannot have their own bed or mattress in College, except in cases
of extreme medical need and only when supported by a doctor’s letter or medical
certificate. It is necessary for any student with such a medical need to first liaise with
the College’s Disability Co-ordinator (Elaine Eastgate in the College Office), who will
determine whether College is required to make this adjustment in order to assist a
student in the course of their studies. Specific arrangements must then be made with
the Accommodation Office in advance of the purchase of any such bed or mattress.

If the University Disability Advisory Service (or Government authority) is purchasing
any item of furniture for you on the grounds of disability, you must inform the College
Disability Co-ordinator and the Accommodation Office in advance so that all
necessary arrangements can be made.

Spare beds/mattresses for students’ visitors are not permitted except for air
mattresses, which must be deflated and stored when not in use. It is expected that
students will only use these mattresses occasionally and not for regular visitors.

Bed Linen: All bedding and bed linen is provided: 1 pillow, 1 duvet, 1 mattress
cover, 1 pillowcase, 1 duvet cover, one sheet and in some rooms, a bedspread. Bed
linen is laundered by the College and your Scout will provide clean bed linen every
two weeks. Students must strip and remake their own beds and used linen should be
left by your waste bin for your Scout to collect. Towels are NOT provided.

Personal Laundry: For personal laundry, washing machines and driers are
available in laundry rooms in staircases N3 (North Quad), Middleton Hall, Garden
Quad and Kendrew Quad. Those living in some external houses may have their own
laundry machines, as may those living in some of the flats. Those using College
laundry facilities must provide their own laundry liquid/powder and keep it in their
rooms. The machines (except those in Kendrew Quad, which are operated with
coins) are operated by Smart Cards (uniquely coded to each College), which are
available from the North Quad laundry room and which can be topped up on line in
units of £5 or £10. Refunds cannot be made on cards with credit remaining at the
end of term, nor can the cards be “sold” back to College. The current laundry charge
is £1.80 per wash and £1.00 per dry.

Any problems with the machines or with the operation of the card must be reported
directly to Circuit Laundry by the person who encounters the problem. Contact

Last updated                            July 2020
information for the laundry provider is included here and also displayed in the
laundry rooms. Circuit Service Team Tel: +44 (0)1422 820026 www.circuit.co.uk
College staff are generally unable to assist with problems which occur, as the
machines are owned and managed by an external company.

Wet washing should not be hung in any rooms to dry, because of the
condensation this causes, which can lead to mould and damage to the fabric of the
building/room. Nor should washing be hung on landings, in stairwells or out of
windows, nor on heaters of any kind, as this can lead to smoke/fire and activation of
the fire alarms. Ironing is not permitted in student rooms and should be done only in
the laundry rooms, where irons and ironing boards are provided.

Electrical appliances: UK voltage is 240V and plugs have 3 square pins. Students
must ensure that they use appliances which operate at this voltage. Occupants must
not alter or extend any of the electrical fittings in the College. Do not connect any
equipment, other than lights, to lighting circuits. Un-fused adapters and extension
leads are not to be used. Personal electrical equipment brought to College and used
by students is the responsibility of the individual. Students are advised to maintain
their equipment in a safe condition, ensuring that correct rated fuses are used and
plugs are to British Standard BS 1363. Leads and connectors are to be in good
condition, not worn, perished, split, twisted or stretched. If in any doubt, speak to the
Works Department, who will be able to offer advice.

If a student’s personal electrical appliances have a visible defect, College reserves
the right to advise the student to have it repaired or have it disposed of. In the event
that the student does not comply, College reserves the right to have the item
removed if its use is considered to be dangerous.

A small refrigerator is provided in all rooms. It is your responsibility to ensure that this
is kept clean and that it is emptied completely when vacating the room at the end of
each term.

ELECTRICITY CHARGES: Please be aware that all electricity used in student
rooms (other than for the overhead lighting) is charged to the individual student,
including booster heating (see “Heating” below). Room meters are read at the
beginning and end of each term and a charge is made to the student per term using
the readings taken. For information, here is a short list of typical usage for various
electrical items:

100w light bulb                            1 unit = 10 hours
20w low energy bulb                        1 unit = 50 hours
2kw fan heater                             2 units = 1 hour of heat
Colour TV                                  1 unit = 6-9 hours of use
Heated towel rail, Kendrew rooms           5 units per day (approx. 320 units per term)
The unit price of electricity to be charged in the year 2020/2021 is 13 pence per unit.
The College provides the first £6.50 of electricity used per term free of charge and
this adjustment is included on your battels bill.

Heating: Background heating is provided by the College and the guaranteed
daytime temperature in student bedrooms, during the periods of the year when the

Last updated                             July 2020
heating is switched on, is 18oC. The heating in most College buildings is switched
off at night and it is the custom in College for heating to be switched on for the start
of Michaelmas Term and switched off before the start of Trinity Term. If you think
your room does not reach/maintain this temperature, you should immediately get in
touch with the Works Department (works@sjc.ox.ac.uk) to request that your radiator
is checked, to ensure that it’s working correctly. If it is, but you still feel that the room
is not reaching temperature, please get in touch with the Accommodation Office;
they will request that a thermograph be put into the room for a period of time so that
the temperature can be monitored. No adjustment to battels can be made at a
later date unless monitoring has been requested during term.

All student rooms contain additional metered booster heaters and the electricity used
by these is charged to the occupant. It is the responsibility of every student to check
their booster heater at the start of each term, to ensure that it has not been
turned on over the vacation by a guest/other student occupant, and it is their
responsibility to turn it off if they do not wish to be charged for its electricity usage. If
you are in doubt about which is your booster heater, or how it operates, please
speak to the Works Department for clarification.

Night storage heaters instead of water filled radiators are provided in some rooms for
background heating. They should not be covered, since this can cause damage. If
this should happen, the College reserves the right to charge the occupant of the
room with the cost of repair.

Please be aware that students in Kendrew rooms are charged for the electricity used
by the heated towel rail in the bathroom. These can be turned off so that each
occupant can decide when and for how long they are used.
Hygiene: Students are requested to use the sanitary bins provided for the disposal
of feminine sanitary products and not put these items down the toilets. Toilet paper
should be flushed down toilets and not put into rubbish bins. Wipes of any kind,
whether flushable or biodegradable, are banned in College toilets.. They should
not be flushed down any toilets, whether on the main site, in an off-site house or off-
site flat. These wipes are not good for the environment as they do not break down -
they also block the drains and can cause damage to the College’s waste system.
Use of such wipes in College has caused thousands of pounds of damage due to
blocked drains and subsequent flooding of accommodation with raw sewage.

Televisions: You need a TV Licence to watch or record live programmes on any
channel, on TV or live on an online TV service. You need to be covered by a TV
Licence to download or watch BBC programmes on demand, including catch up TV,
on BBC iPlayer. This applies to any device and provider you use. To obtain a
Licence please call 0300 790 6079 or visit the website at www.tvlicensing.co.uk The
College's television licence does not cover students.
Guest rooms: The College provides two twin-bedded en-suite guest rooms for use
by students’ visitors. Please be aware that neither room is adapted for wheelchair
users and may not be suitable for visitors with mobility issues. To enquire about
availability and to book, students should email lodge.room.bookings@sjc.ox.ac.uk
Emails must be sent from the student’s sjc email address; bookings from personal
email addresses will not be accepted. Bookings are restricted to 2 consecutive

Last updated                             July 2020
nights only, unless the visitor/s is/are travelling directly from abroad, in which case
the maximum is 5 consecutive nights. The full name(s) of the guest(s) must be given
at the time of the booking enquiry. The charge for guests of current students is £23
per person per night, inclusive of breakfast and VAT and this charge will go on the
student’s battels (termly invoice). Please cancel any unwanted bookings in good time
(not less than 48 hours in advance) otherwise the full rent will be charged to the
student’s battels, as the rooms are in high demand. Students MUST be in residence
in College/Oxford at the time of the visit, bookings cannot be made for visits during
the vacations if the student will not themselves be in College as they are responsible
for their visitor. Please note that student visitors will not have access to the wi-fi or
the University network.
Nobody under the age of 16 is permitted to stay in a guest room, a student
room or any other College room. However, College does have a limited amount of
accommodation which is available to families with children; enquiries and bookings
should be made directly through the Accommodation Office
(accommodation.office@sjc.ox.ac.uk).
In some circumstances you may wish to accommodate a guest in your room. The
following rules apply:

   a) One guest is permitted to stay overnight in a student’s room, but for no longer
      than two consecutive nights.
   b) Students should not have “regular” or constant weekly visitors.
   c) No guest can be accommodated in a student room for more than two
      consecutive nights without the prior permission of a Junior Dean
      (juniordeans@sjc.ox.ac.uk) and at least one week’s notice must be given.
      Permission will not be given for frequent visits.
   d) Permission will not be granted for periods longer than 7 consecutive nights
      except in very exceptional circumstances (for example student illness). For
      stays of 7 nights or longer and/or in an emergency situation, permission
      should be sought directly from the Accommodation Office, with at least one
      working week’s notice (except in an emergency).
   e) The College must be informed about any guest staying in a student room.
      Please do this by sending an email with your room number and the date/s of
      the stay to overnight@sjc.ox.ac.uk .This is essential to ensure that guests can
      be accounted for in case of fire or other hazard/emergency.
   f) Occupants are not permitted to arrange for the use of their rooms by other
      persons in their absence, except by prior agreement with the Accommodation
      Office and this will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.
   g) College does not provide extra bedding or beds for students’ visitors.

Failure to abide by these rules may render the occupant liable to extra charges or
loss of the room.

Security: Do not be misled into thinking that this environment is free from the risks of
modern life. Incidents of theft and intrusion do, unfortunately, occur. You should be
alert and take suitable precautions. Do not give or lend your room key or fob to
anyone. When leaving your room, even for a short period, even when you’re staying
within your own house or staircase, make sure that you lock your door. Most rooms
in College are fitted with a security chain on the door – these are for your security,

Last updated                           July 2020
they should not be used to hold the door open while you are out of your room! If a
Scout finds a student room door open and/or unlocked, they will lock it.

A coded digital Salto tag is provided to each student for access to the College
through a variety of external gates, and for entry after the closing of the main gates
at 11pm. This fob must not be used to admit any person other than a member of the
College or your personal guests. Nobody other than your own personal guest who is
staying with you in your room should be given access to the facilities of College or to
the facilities in your staircase/house; this is especially with regard to the use of
bathrooms or kitchens by non-members.

When entering College premises, students need to ensure that no unauthorised
person is tailgating them. If a student has any concerns about somebody following
them through a gate or door and/or they do not feel confident to turn them away,
please contact the Lodge immediately (01865 277300). Gates and doors must never
be propped open. Especially in the houses outside the College, the security of the
house and the rooms is largely dependent on the conscientious behaviour and
common sense of the residents.

Keys: Any student found to be loaning their room key and/or Salto fob to anybody to
allow access to College facilities and/or their room, when they are not themselves
present, will face disciplinary action from the Senior Dean and the possible
imposition of a fine.

All students should retain their Salto fob for the duration of their course/period of
study and only hand it in at the Lodge when they are leaving College permanently, or
at the beginning of a period of suspension. On returning to College after each
vacation, the fob should be placed on an on-line reader (located at various sites
around College, including the main Lodge, the Postroom and the automatic door
through from N5 to the car park) to update it, as access will lapse after 30 days.
Loss of any keys/Salto fobs must be reported to the Lodge immediately. Failure to
notify loss of a key/fob, or keeping a key/fob in one’s own possession and not
returning it promptly at the stipulated time, may be regarded as an offence.
An automatic charge of £5 is made for the loss of a Salto fob.
An automatic charge of £50 per key set (including the fob) is made for loss of keys.
Other charges which may be applied are:
    • spare keys issued by Lodge and returned within 24 hours – no charge
    • spare keys issued by Lodge and returned more than 24 hours later but within
        48 hours - £25
    • spare keys issued by the Lodge and returned more than 48 hours later - £40
    • main set of room keys not returned to the Lodge at the end of term (or
        vacation residence) and still not returned within 14 days - £50 (even if keys
        are subsequently returned at a later date)

Insurance: The College undertakes no responsibility for the property of students
resident in College accommodation - this includes bicycles kept in College bike
racks. Please be aware that the College’s own insurance will not cover student
property. However, the College has agreed to arrange block contents insurance
cover on behalf of all students resident in College accommodation, at an annual cost
of £8.95, which will be added to your battels for Michaelmas Term. This cover is

Last updated                           July 2020
only valid while students are in residence and covers only those students living in
accommodation provided by College; it does not cover those living privately (nor is
the cost levied on students living out). Couples living in College-supplied flats are
both covered.

The policy is with Endsleigh Insurance and it is your responsibility to ensure that
you are aware of the benefits and restrictions/limitations of this insurance
cover, especially with regard to bicycles. Information on the level of cover can be
found at http://www.endsleigh.co.uk/reviewcover. You will need to enter the HH
number, HH1222, and/or St John’s College, Oxford as the accommodation provider.

In the event of a claim, students can submit this online at
www.endsleigh.co.uk/claim-centre (under Home and Possessions Policies) or by
calling 0844 472 2507, quoting HH1222. You will need the address of your
accommodation, if you know it, but for new students this will be St. John's College,
Oxford.
The policy is between you and the insurance company, not the College, and any
claims will be between you and Endsleigh Insurance. You can arrange top up cover
(e.g. for bicycles when not kept in College bike storage/musical instruments etc.)
direct with Endsleigh if required, via their website https://www.endsleigh.co.uk/.

It is recommended that students with bicycles follow University cycle security
guidelines, detailed information on which can be obtained once you have your
College single sign on credentials, by following this link
https://www1.admin.ox.ac.uk/ouss/cra/cyclesecurity/

Bicycles: bicycles must not be parked anywhere in College except in the designated
bike sheds/areas provided and should not be locked to railings. Bikes cannot be
kept inside any College buildings, including on landings or in student rooms. Bikes
should not be ridden or wheeled through the College, there is direct external access
to all bike racks. Unclaimed and unidentified bikes left in College bike racks will be
disposed of periodically in organised culls. Students will be given fair warning of the
timing of the cull and bikes culled in such a way will either be disposed of or, if they
are in usable condition, will be sold and the proceeds given to charity.

Parking: There is no parking available in College for students or their visitors.
Returning or departing students may collect a permit from the Lodge which allows 40
minutes’ parking in St. Giles on the double yellow lines. It must be correctly filled in
and displayed in the car.

Environmental policy: The College has an environmental policy which includes
mixed recycling. Green bins are provided in all student rooms for mixed recycling
(paper, cardboard, plastic bottles and glass). The green bins are emptied by your
Scout daily (weekdays only). Mixed recycling bins are also provided in some student
kitchens, external houses and in other outside areas around College (eg TW).
Further information can be obtained from the JCR Environment and Ethics Officer.

Pets: No animals may be brought into or kept in College or outside properties,
except assistance dogs, and only with prior confirmation from the Accommodation

Last updated                           July 2020
Office and the Disability Co-ordinator.

Ball Games and Frisbee: The playing of ball games, frisbee and similar games is
not permitted in any of the College's open spaces or gardens, except for the playing
of croquet on the Croquet Lawn, which is located between the back of TW Quad and
the MCR building.

College Buildings: Climbing on any part of the College fabric, including walls,
balconies, parapets and roofs, is strictly prohibited and any breach of these rules is
considered a Decanal matter and will be referred to the Senior Dean. In the case of
TW rooms on the top floor, security devices have been fitted to the balcony doors
and these must not be tampered with in any way. Windows in TW rooms (and in
various other parts of College and external houses) have also been fitted with
restrictors. Any student found to have tampered with any such security devices will
be reported to the Senior Dean and may also be liable for a charge for any repair.

MEALS and CATERING
Breakfast is served in Hall on a cafeteria system (8.00-9.00am, Monday-Friday,
8.30-9.30am, Saturday, 9.00- 9.40am on Sunday). The need to clear and clean the
Hall means that the finishing times must be strictly adhered to. The minimum charge
of approx £1.18 provides tea or coffee with toast and jam; a cooked breakfast is
available with individually priced items (£3.07 is a representative charge).

Lunch is served every day in Hall on a cafeteria system (12.30–1.30pm). A wide
range of dishes is available and £3.07 is again a representative charge for a modest
lunch. A hot lunch, sandwiches and panninis are also available in the Kendrew
Café from 12-2pm Monday –Friday and 11am to 1.30pm brunch style service on
Saturdays.

Dinner is served in Hall. There are usually two sittings - the first sitting, at 6.15-
6.45pm, is an informal 2-course meal, with a cafeteria system and menu. The
second sitting (familiarly known as Formal Hall) begins at 7.15pm, with arrival
expected by 7pm. This is a traditional part of College life for both Senior and Junior
Members, with a more substantial 3-course meal served (waiter service); wine and
other drinks may be ordered from the Buttery. Details of days when Formal Hall is
available will be circulated/posted weekly by the Catering Office. Gowns are worn
(over appropriate smart-casual clothing). The College is keen to maintain this
occasion as a pleasurable and distinctive part of living in this community.
The charges for these meals will be as follows:

First sitting        £4.09
Formal Hall          £4.39

When taking meals in Hall, students are expected to dress and behave
appropriately. Students should not wear night clothes to meals. Intoxication and/or
abusive behaviour will not be tolerated and will be reported to the Senior Dean.

Booking for dinner: This is done online. Instructions will be available to all

Last updated                              July 2020
Freshers (1st year students) on arrival. Booking is not necessary for the first sitting
and students will be served on a first come first served basis. However, any guests
for first sitting MUST be booked in, as space is limited.

Booking for Formal Hall is essential for all those attending and must be done by
11am for that day's dinner. Wine can be ordered at lunch-time for that evening’s
Formal Hall. (At Formal Hall, food will be served only to those who have booked on;
attempts to attend dinners not booked for may be reported to the Dean; meals
booked and not taken will be charged for.)

Guests for meals: You are welcome to bring guests to dinner but they must be
booked in through the online system. Space prohibits us from allowing more than a
total of 9 guests for the first sitting and 5 guests for Formal Hall, so students wishing
to bring in a guest should book up in plenty of time! The JCR and MCR arrange
Special Guest Nights, usually once or twice a term; prices for these are negotiated
on each occasion. You will be held responsible for your guest’s behaviour. Do not
book in guests without knowing their names. It is not expected that students will
bring in the same guest for lunch or dinner more than twice per week.

Students seated at low table may bring guests of any age to lunch, informal dinner
and regular formal dinner, as well as to some special dinners, as long as they are
signed in in the usual way and within the same parameters in terms of total guest
numbers. There is also the usual requirement that members planning to bring a
guest must inform the organisers in advance to ensure that there is adequate and
appropriate seating available (there are a small number of high chairs available in
Hall). Normal rules, in terms of disruptive behaviour, will apply, which may result in
the removal of the member as well as their guest. For safeguarding reasons, the
parent/carer will be responsible for their child/children at all times and anyone who
causes disruption could be asked to leave. Certain formal occasions will be
restricted to adults only.

Payment for meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner are paid for in Hall by a pre-paid
charge card (your University ID card, which you will receive on arrival). Credit can
be added to the card in the Buttery (at the back of the Hall), in the College Bar in TW
Quad, the Kendrew Café or the Accounts Office (room 23 in the Bursary). Please
note that guests are required to pay VAT on meals and VAT is charged on all cash
sales regardless of who is paying.

Other items/services available at the Buttery: (open 8am-2pm and 6-8pm). Soft
drinks, bread, butter and sundries (including College note-paper, postcards and
stationery items) may be purchased, subject to availability. Glasses can be supplied
only for use with drinks purchased here. In addition to wines held in stock, certain
wines can be specially ordered from the order list.

Kendrew Quad Cafe: Light snacks, drinks and home-made cakes can be
purchased from 10am - 3.30pm Monday through Saturday, while a choice of hot
meal, soup or a vegetarian meal is available from 12-2pm A coffee machine is
available to purchase coffee when the serving area is shut. The seating area is open
from 8am-11pm, but can be shut at any time at the discretion of the Duty Porter.
The Cafe may be closed, at short notice, at 3.30pm or earlier, if required for an

Last updated                            July 2020
event. Please note that no alcohol is to be taken into this area. Students
occasionally use this area for informal study, but they should NOT leave their books
and possessions behind when they leave.

College Bar: This is located in TW Quad and is open from 6-11pm Mondays-
Saturdays (last call is at 10.30pm), closed on Sundays. Only items purchased in the
Bar are to be consumed in the Bar. This includes drinks left over from dinner in Hall.

Vacation catering: When possible, a catering service will be maintained during
periods of the vacation, except during the College close-down at Christmas and
during the 2 week close-down in August (which is always the 2 weeks ending with
the Bank Holiday Monday). Details of any changes to arrangements will be emailed
and/or posted up during vacations by the Catering Office.

Cooking for yourself, kitchens and utensils: In many parts of the College, shared
cooking facilities are available to students. Kitchens are intended to allow students
to supplement the catering provided by the College (or to allow for particular dietary
needs) and were not designed for the cooking of large meals. A kettle, toaster and
microwave oven are provided in every kitchen where there is space to use and store
them safely so please do not bring your own microwave or any other large
cooking devices e.g. rice cookers, slow cookers, portable hobs, grills, toasted
sandwich makers, toasters etc (this list is not exhaustive). They cannot be left
in kitchens where there is no space for them and they cannot be stored in your room
when not in use. As cooking is strictly prohibited in rooms, even the presence of a
boxed cooking appliance will result in a report being raised with the Accommodation
Office and ultimately the Senior Dean. Even in larger kitchens where there is more
space, care must be taken not to overload electrical circuits with additional
appliances. Breach of these instructions is extremely dangerous and is therefore
treated as a fineable offence. Tripping fuses/electric blackouts and any failure of a
fuse in an electrical appliance must be reported to the Lodge or your Scout
immediately.

Please remember that the kitchens are much in demand and should be left tidy at
all times for other users – this includes doing the washing up as you go along.
Kitchens, including ovens and fridges, are cleaned during vacations by the Scout,
but it is the responsibility of the students to keep them clean and tidy at all
times – it is not the Scout’s job to have to clear up after you before being able
to clean the kitchen. Excessively dirty or continually untidy kitchens will be closed
and only reopened at the discretion of the Accommodation Manager or the Home
Bursar.

Because of the possibility of theft, kitchens should always be kept locked when not in
use. In the interests of safety, appliances with a heating element, eg active cookers,
microwave ovens, toasters and kettles, must never be left unattended, even briefly.
Fire doors should never be propped open, especially not while cooking as this can
(a) set off smoke detectors but much more importantly (b) can aid the quick spread
of fire.

Students are expected to supply their own cooking utensils, cutlery, glassware and
dishes and to clean and remove them from communal kitchens after use. Any

Last updated                          July 2020
articles borrowed from the Buttery should be signed for and returned clean.

Booking Function Rooms for Student Events: Some College rooms (for example
Prestwich and Larkin Rooms in TW Quad and the B24 Events room in Kendrew
Quad) may be booked by students for functions. Some bookings may require
Decanal permission, depending on the type of booking and what the booking
involves. For further information on room bookings and Decanal permission, please
refer to the policies section on the College website. In order to book a room that
does not require any catering or refreshments, students should contact the Lodge
(lodge@sjc.ox.ac.uk). For any room bookings that require catering or refreshments,
students should contact the Catering Office (catering.office@sjc.ox.ac.uk). Room
bookings that require catering must be booked at least seven days in advance.

Student Post: All students living in single College rooms, regardless of where
they’re located, MUST use the main College site as their postal address (i.e. St
John’s College, St Giles, Oxford, OX1 3JP, UK). Students living in couples’
accommodation can use the flat address for their post and cannot use the College
address for post for their partner.
Every student has a labelled pigeonhole in the Postroom beside the Lodge. The
pigeonholes are not large and space in the Lodge itself is extremely limited, so any
large items that will not fit into a pigeonhole should NOT be delivered to College;
students should use one of the numerous click and collect points in town. As a
guideline, sizes which will be accepted at the Lodge are: typical shoe or boot box,
soft parcels 50cmx50cm, hard boxes 50cm long x 30cm high. Anything which will
not fit into a pigeonhole will NOT be signed for by the Porters.
Student food deliveries: Porters have been instructed not to sign for, or accept, any
deliveries of food or wine for Junior Members. If students order food or wine online
they must be present at the Lodge at the time of the delivery to accept receipt of
their order, otherwise it will be turned away by the Porters. Please note this does not
apply to those students with medical requirements or mobility issues who have first
made special arrangements with one of the Lodge Team Leaders.
Students (or their partners in couples’ accommodation) are absolutely prohibited
from operating any business or similar from any of the College premises or to use
any of the College’s postal addresses for these purposes and/or as a Registered
Office.

INVOICING/BATTELS
Invoices (known in Oxford as battels) for each term will be sent to all students by
email at the beginning of each term, except the final battels bill for students leaving
College permanently, which will be emailed towards the end of August. Battels
should be paid within one week of their receipt, preferably by bank transfer. The
Finance Bursar is authorised to charge interest on money owed. Anyone who has
concerns about paying battels on time should contact Michelle Murray in the Finance
Office (room 23 on the top floor of the Bursary, staircase N7) in the first instance, or
by emailing battels@sjc.ox.ac.uk

Last updated                           July 2020
HEALTH, SAFETY and WELFARE
If you are new to the UK, this is a very useful website about how the medical system
in the UK works https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/Information--Advice/Studying--living-in-
the-UK/Health-and-healthcare

Students are strongly encouraged to register with the College Medical Officers, Dr
Meriel Raine and Dr Richard Curtis, who have a surgery at 19 Beaumont Street daily
by appointment (01865 240501). Students who live out should register their term-
time address with the College Office.

The College Nurse, Mrs Vivienne Davies, is on duty to deal with minor ailments in
the Dispensary (Staircase N5) from 8.30-10.30am weekdays only during full term.
See the welfare page on the College website for information on health-related
matters https://www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/college-life/health-and-welfare/

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES: If you, or anyone you are with, has a real medical
emergency and you think an ambulance or paramedic is needed, you should
immediately call the Emergency Services yourself (9-999 from a College landline,
999 from any other standard landline or 112 from a mobile phone).

You should also immediately inform the Lodge that you have called for an
ambulance, telling them where the patient is and what the problem is, so that they’re
aware of where to send the ambulance/paramedics if they arrive at the Main Lodge.
If you think that there is time, or you’re unsure whether an ambulance is needed, you
can ask the Lodge to send a Porter over to the patient. The Porters are First Aid
trained and can assess the situation and call an ambulance if necessary, and can
stay with the patient until it arrives.

Whatever the situation, it is VERY IMPORTANT that whoever calls the ambulance is
with the patient at the time, as the Emergency Services operator will have questions
about the patient which must be answered while the ambulance/paramedic is en-
route. You should not leave the patient alone at any time and you should make sure
that doors to the property and/or room are unlocked to allow the NHS staff to get in
quickly.

There is also an NHS Helpline called NHS Direct, which you can call for non-
emergencies and for advice about whether or not you should see a GP or call for an
ambulance. The number is 111 and this is a link to a website for further information
about this service.
http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/AboutNHSservices/Emergencyandurgentcareservice
s/Pages/NHS-111.aspx

Welfare: Students who would find it helpful for any reason to discuss their personal
welfare are welcome to contact the Welfare Dean, Dr Elizabeth Macfarlane,
(welfare.dean@sjc.ox.ac.uk) to arrange a confidential appointment. Other members
of the welfare team include the College Counsellor, Dr Denise Barulis
(denise.barulis@sjc.ox.ac.uk), the College Nurse, Mrs Vivienne Davies
(vivienne.davies@sjc.ox.ac.uk), and the four Junior Deans
(juniordeans@sjc.ox.ac.uk). Both the JCR and the MCR have welfare officers, and

Last updated                          July 2020
peer supporters, whose details are listed on their websites. Students may also
arrange appointments with the University Counselling Service via their website
(https://www.ox.ac.uk/students/welfare/counselling?wssl=1).
The Fellow for Equality, the Fellow for Women, the Fellow for Ethnic Minorities and
the Senior Dean may also be consulted as appropriate.
Dental Services: Studental, Oxford Brookes University, Headington Campus;
Telephone 01865 689997; e-mail: reception@studental.co.uk; hours Monday-Friday,
8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Students are offered NHS treatment; please note that
students do not necessarily qualify for free treatment, most students aged 19 or older
will need to apply for a HC2 certificate (application form available from Studental) in
order to receive free treatment and must bring proof of their exemption to their first
appointment. For further information, please see www.studental.co.uk.
A statement of the College's Health and Safety Policy is displayed on notice boards
and is available on the College website https://www.sjc.ox.ac.uk/discover/about-
college/legal/college-policies/

Each room contains a notice of "Fire Instructions", which must be studied and
obeyed. It should be clearly displayed at all times.

COLLEGE DOMESTIC STAFF
The Accommodation Manager (Daniel Epih) and the Accommodation Officers,
(Nadine Hainge and Mags Robertson), have an office on the ground floor of the
Bursary, room 1 in N7 staircase, email (accommodation.office@sjc.ox.ac.uk),
telephone 01865 277323.

Any queries with regards to Accommodation, please contact the Accommodation
Office in the first instance. We will pass on any enquiries to the relevant department.

The Housekeeping Supervisors, who assist in the day to day running of the
Housekeeping function and Scouts, can be found in Room 4, on the ground floor of
Staircase N7.

The Main Porters’ Lodge (lodge@sjc.ox.ac.uk, tel. 01865 277300) is located at the
main gate of the College on St Giles, with a second staffed Lodge at the entrance to
Kendrew Quad.

The Domestic Stores Office (stores.management@sjc.ox.ac.uk) is located in the
wooden corridor between North and TW Quads. They are in charge of all student
storage, as well as for the purchase and supply of all furniture and consumables in
College (other than food).

The Catering Office (catering.office@sjc.ox.ac.uk) is located in the Buttery Staircase
on the first floor. They are responsible for all aspects of catering in College.

The IT Officers (it-support@sjc.ox.ac.uk) have an office in the Rural Economy
Building, room 10.
Last updated                           July 2020
OTHER COLLEGE STAFF

The Works Department is under the management of the Master of Works. This
department is responsible for the College’s buildings, their maintenance and repair
as well as for new building projects. Their office is located in North Quad between
the Beehive and the wooden corridor through to TW. During office hours they can
be contacted direct (works@sjc.ox.ac.uk) for plumbing/electrical/heating issues, or
you can report these to the Accommodation Office (see above). In an emergency
(eg. a total electrical failure or water leak) please contact the Porters (01865 277300)
day or night, as they can call out a duty staff member out of hours. In an emergency
please do not email the Porters, you should either phone them or visit in person.

The Disability Co-ordinator is Mrs Elaine Eastgate (elaine.eastgate@sjc.ox.ac.uk)
and she has an office on the first floor of the Bursary Staircase (N7 room 17).

The Academic Administrator, Mrs Eileen Marston (Bursary staircase N7, first floor,
room 12), and other members of the College Office (college.office@sjc.ox.ac.uk) will
be pleased to help with any academic matters.

                         COVID-19 IMPORTANT NOTE

         Any of the above information, is subject to amendment,
      should the guidance from the government or University change

Last updated                           July 2020
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